Region IV Assistive Technology Guidelines
The Guidelines for the Provision of Quality Assistive Technology Services: A Plan for Region IV is based upon the Region IV Assistive Technology Plan created by the 1994 Academy on Assistive Technology (see appendix for list of participants). As a result of the 1994 Plan, the Michigan Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium was formed. The Michigan Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium is dedicated to building the capacity of its members to deliver quality assistive technology services. The consortium includes representatives from Jackson, Lenawee, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair; Washtenaw, and Wayne counties and serves several purposes. This plan guides the work of the Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium. It also serves as a framework for districts, counties and schools to use as they develop and refine their Assistive Technology Services. The revised plan reflects a response to current legislation, including No Child Left Behind and IDEA 2004. In addition, it incorporates the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and integrates Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (QIAT) into the Assistive Technology process.
Download a pdf file of the Region IV AT guidelines by clicking on the button below.
Download a pdf file of the Region IV AT guidelines by clicking on the button below.
AT Consideration
A sub-committee of the MI AT leaders developed the following documents to help with consistent AT consideration during IEP meetings. The intent of the documents are to be used as informal tools to guide discussions with AT consideration. They were created for IEP teams to carefully look at consideration, documentation, and next steps surrounding assistive technology to support individual student goals.
The above flowchart link is intended for printing. The following links are included with alternative access in mind. Please note that the content is the same across the 3 different flowchart links.
AT Handbook for Education Professionals
In the Fall of 2017, a task force of 24 Assistive Technology (AT) specialists from around the state of Michigan began work on the AT Handbook for Education Professionals to outline and recommend a process and set of resources to support the consideration, assessment and implementation of AT for students with disabilities. More than 40 AT professionals were eventually involved. This Handbook was completed on July 30, 2019 and has been reviewed by many people including Penny Reed and Gayl Bowser.
Alt + Shift
Alt+Shift offers professional learning opportunities that improve educators’ abilities to unlock and experience each learner’s true capacity for learning. Implementation of new practices takes time. Through ongoing engagement we collaborate with ISDs to provide adults with the beliefs, knowledge and skills they need to build capacity at all levels and improve outcomes for every learner.
21 Things 4 Educators
The Region IV Assistive Technology Consortium collaborated with Macomb ISD and Shiawassee RESD to add content about accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and assistive technology (AT) to the website. This website provides free resources for digital age teaching and learning.
EduPaths
EduPaths is available for Michigan educators navigate their professional growth. EduPaths partners with organizations from all across the state to deliver high quality content. Each month, EduPath users complete over 1,800 courses and have 580 SCECHs processed. The EduPaths community continues to grow and new courses are added all of the time. Currently there are over 350 courses available, 99% of which are SCECH eligible.
Alt+Shift has a couple of courses available on EduPaths relating to the field of AT.
Alt+Shift has a couple of courses available on EduPaths relating to the field of AT.
- Building Blocks to Autonomous Communication (BBtAC) has 12 courses that range from 15 to 45 minutes. Building Blocks to Autonomous Communication focuses on the what, why, and how of supporting learners with Complex Communication Needs (CCN). The overarching goal is that individuals with CCN leave their educational programming as autonomous communicators - in other words, that they can say what they want to say, when they want to say it, how they want to say it, and with whom they wish to communicate. Each building block is designed to focus on a targeted set of knowledge and skills. This knowledge and set of skills will enable educators to provide effective instruction to individuals with complex communication needs.
- Accessible Materials Made Right (AMMR) has 7 courses. Accessibility standards and technology tools continue to update and change. This is the 3rd version of the AMMR series. The purpose of the Accessible Materials Made Right series is to increase awareness of what makes digital content accessible and why it really matters and to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to begin creating accessible documents.
SETT Framework - Joy Zabala
The SETT Framework was developed by Dr. Joy Zabala as an organizational tool to ensure that the IEP team focuses on the student and their actual needs, before a tool is selected. SETT aids in the decision-making through all phases of AT service and delivery, from consideration through implementation and evaluation of the AT’s effectiveness. SETT, an acronym for Student, Environments, Tasks, and Tools.
Region IV Intermediate School Districts Assistive Technology Pages
Assistive Technology Regions in MichiganThere are five assistive technology region in the state of Michigan. The image to the right shows how the state is divided up and you can find the list of counties in each region here.
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